Sleigh attachment for automobile.



0. D. HARRIS. SLBIGH ATTACHMENT FOR AUTOMOBILES.

' V APPLIUATION TILED NOV. 7, 1913.

1,114,259. Patented Oct. 20, 1914.

i 2 7 a 'y gig 19 WITNESSES U. INVENTOR 0 J! CLYDE HaRR- useful in operation. With these and other objects in view, the

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CLYDE D. HARRIS, OF HELENA, MISSOURI.

SLEIGI-I ATTACHMENT FOR AUTOMOBII- Specificationof Letters Patent. Pfitent-ed Oct. 20,1914.

Application filed November 7, 1913. Serial No. 799,781. 'n.-

T 0 all whom it may concern Be it known that I, CLYDE D. HARRIS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Helena, in the county of Andrew and State of Missouri, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Sleigh Attachments for Automobiles, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying 4 drawings.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in sleigh attachments for an tomobiles and the like'and the primary objects of the invention is to provide a device of this character which may be quickly and readily attached to an automobile, whereby the vehicle m'ay be placed in use when the round is covered with snow.

- A still further object of the invention resides in providing an improved attachment of this charactenwhich is simple and durable in construction, inexpensive to manufacture and one which will be very eilicient and invention consists in the novel features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts as will be hereinafter referred to and more particularly pointed out-in the specification and then claimed.

In the accompanying drawings forming a part of this application, Figure-1 is a side elevation of an attachment constructed-Lin accordance with my invention and applicable to the rear axle of avehicle'. Fig. 2 is a horizontal section 'therethrough with parts in elevation. I

In describing iny invention, I shall refer to'the drawings, in which similar reference, characters designate corresponding parts throughout the several views and in which 1 vindicates a runner, such as is usually provided in sleigh attachments, the front -and rear portions. thereof projecting upwardly and connected together by means of an upper longitudinal bar 2. Thecomplete runner forms a frame or the like, the upperand lower longitudinal bars of which have secured thereto, a pair of spaced guide bars 3, portions of which are designed channelshaped in cross section. These bars 3 as stated form guide bars for a purpose to be hereinafter and more particularly set forth and the same also act as-a bracing means be- ;tween said upper and lower longitudinal bars of the frame or runner. The upper longitudinal bar 2 of the runner or frame has a bearing 4 mounted thereon which is designed to rotatably receive the rear axle 5 of the vehicle therein.

.Slidably mounted between the vertical channel-shaped guide bars 3, is an arm or the. like 6 which is designed to form a bearing, rotatably receiving therein one end of a shaft or auxiliary axle 7. This auxiliary axle carries thereon the driving wheels 8,

10, one of the latter being disposed forward and rearward ofsaid shaft 7. These rods also extend loosely through openings in the movable arm 6 and encircling said rods between said arm 6 and the'upper arm9, are the coil springs 11, the normal tendency of which is to force downwardly on said arm 6 to permit the periphery of the wheel 8 to project below the lower longitudinal portion of the runner.

Mounted on the auxiliar axle or shaft 7, between the arm 6 and t e wheel 8, is a sprocket 12, over which extends a link chain' 13, the latter also'extending over an addi tiona-l sprocket, 14 carried on the axle 5. It will thus be seen that as said axle 5 is rotated, the auxiliary axle or shaft 7will also be rotated to cause therdrivingvwheels 8 to be rotated to propel the device, it being, of course, under: stood that under the weight of the'vehicle, said runners will be forced into contact with the surface of the ground against the tension of the springs 11. The springs 11 forcing downwardly on the driving wheels 8 will cause the latter to be constantly in frictional engagement with the surface of the ground whereby propulsion of the device is positive as the axle is rotated.

I Mounted on the lower longitudinal bar of the runner, is a drum-like casing 15 which entirely incloses the driving wheel and the adjacent parts in connection therewith as can be clearly seen from Fig. 2 of the drawings. Thisdrum-like housing prevents the snow and sleet from being splashed upwardly as the wheels are rotated and also acts asa covering for the actuating parts.

Mounted on the, auxiliary shaft 7 is a brake-drum 16. A brake-shoe 17 is adapted to cooperate therewith, the same being piv otally carried on an angular arm. 18 which is slidably received through a guide bearing 19, This guide bearing is carried, in turn, on a transverse bar 20 sus ended from the I upper longitudinal bars the runners by means of'the arms 21. The one end of the arm 18 is pivotally connected to a centrally fulcruined lever 22 which is also carried on the projection of the bar 20, the opposite end of said' fulcrumed lever having connection with an operating rod 23. The actuation of this rod 23 will, obviously, actuate the brake-shoe to its desired positions. Y

While I have particularly described the elements best adapted to perform the functions set forth, it is obvious that various changes in form, proportion and in the minor details of construction may be resorted to without departing from the spirit 7 or sacrificing any of the principles oI'the rods loosely disposed through said movable arm and secured at their upper and lower invention.

Having thus described this invention, What I claim is 1. In a sleigh attachment for vehicles,

, the combination with an axle; of a framelike runner carried thereon, a pair of vertical spaced apart guide rails secured to the upper and lower portions of said runner and also forming supports therefor, an arm slidably mounted between said guide rails, a pair of transverse, bars secured to said guide rails above and below said arm, guide ends to said upper and lower transverse bars, c011 sprlngs enclrclmg said rods between the movable arm and the upper transverse bar to normally force said arm downwardly, means in connection with the up- "per transverse bar and said coil springs to adjust the tension of thelatter, a drive wheel supported on said movable arm and r rods and adjunctive parts.

adapted to normally project below the lower portion of said runner, means for rotating said drive wheel upon the rotation of the axle, and a drum-like shield secured to the runner andinclosing said drivewheel, guide rods and adjunctive parts.

2. In a sleigh attachment for vehicles, the combination with an axle; of a frame-like runner carried thereon, a pair of guide rails secured to the upper and lower portions of said runner in spaced relation to one another and forming supports therefor, said guide, rails being offset intermediate of their ends to project in a plane outside'of the vertical plane ofsaid runner, an arm slidably mounted between said guide rails, a pair of transverse bars rigidly secured to said guide rails, respectively, above and below said arm, guide rods secured stationarily at their upper and lower ends to the transverse bars, externally threaded sleeve members carried by the upper transverse bar and receiving said guide rods there through, internally threaded cup-shaped axle, and a drum-like shield secured'to the runner inclosing said drive wheel guide In testimony whereof I CLYDE D. HARRIS.

Witnesses J. D. Ronnnrs, ELLA R. SHARP.

hereunto aflix my signature in the presence of two witnesses. 

